Diagnose by Commusoft, an AR-enabled video call app for iOS, enables installers to host remote support sessions with customers. Installers can diagnose issues remotely, determine whether a visit is necessary and direct customers through self-service. Commusoft’s remote support feature for iOS is available for free to all users for the next three months. Diagnosis by Android support is coming soon.

Products

With DroneDeploy updates, users can add new plans during flight to maximize air time; live stream current flight paths with real-time visual context; identify and understand issues onsite by toggling between the thermal and RBG cameras; conduct photo-based inspections on 2D orthomosaics with the ability to tag team members to document the inspection from discovery to resolution; upload all media types to the cloud via a mobile device; and improve safety and visibility with ESRI Integration with the latest site maps.

Software & In the Cloud

B2W Schedule now manages trucking resources along with its original ability to manage employees, equipment and materials. Schedulers and dispatchers can assign, view and modify truck requirements and deliveries by their own fleets and by third-party contractors. B2W Schedule is part of B2W Software’s ONE Platform, which includes applications for estimating, field tracking, equipment maintenance, e-forms and business intelligence.

As the pilot developer of the DEWALT Tool Connect system, ToolWatch is partnering with DEWALT to improve the tool ownership experience. Users can use ToolWatch’s innovative technology system to track DEWALT tools. The DEWALT catalog will integrate into the ToolWatch platform so users can scan the product’s QR code or barcode to automatically populate data into ToolWatch.

Video & Cool Stuff

U.S. CAD's white paper (registration required) uncovers roadblocks to BIM adoption and success. Hurdles to adoption include general mistrust of new technology, fear that technology will replace workers, difficulty showing ROI and creating buy-in, misunderstanding risk and lacking standardization. The paper explores why understanding the hurdles to adoption is key and highlights best practices to overcoming these hurdles.

Viewpoint’s free e-book, Why Customers Moved to the Cloud (registration required), reveals the top three reasons contractors moved their ERP to the cloud and the benefits they gained.

RedTeam’s ROI calculator tool can help companies estimate and measure the value of construction technologies. The calculator takes the benefit (financial value created by the technology being used) divided by investment (the total cost of buying, implementing and maintaining the software) to find the ROI, or total net value created. Benefits are measured by labor savings, productivity gain, workplace benefits and risk mitigation.